The Write Practice: The Online Writing Workbook

Writing Prompt: Use Junk Drawers to Discover Your Characters

Characterization is a huge part of writing, no matter how long the story. You need to know the ins and outs of your character’s personality. What makes them tick? What do they want? Where to do they come from?

Sometimes it’s a little difficult to come up with new character traits and idiosyncrasies that aren’t cliché or contrived.

Today, we’re going to have a little fun with character development. We’re going to think outside the box of character questionnaires and try a writing prompt to help us discover our characters through a different route: What’s in their junk drawer?

How to Unlock All 5 Senses in Your Writing

by Kellie McGann | 34 Comments

As writers we are especially aware of the five senses. We use the five senses to transport our reader into the scene we are describing. However, I propose, that we are not using the five senses to their full potential. You see, I didn’t used to give the five senses much credit when it came to my writing. But the truth is, the five senses have a power to connect with our readers in a deep way.

Grammar Help: Affect Versus Effect

by Liz Bureman | 41 Comments

The primary rule of thumb when it comes to affect and effect is the following:
Affect is a verb. Effect is a noun.
Knowing this will generally get you through most confusion between these two words.

Independence Day Writing Prompt

by Alice Sudlow | 28 Comments

Today, Americans are celebrating our independence. It’s a day full of cookouts and fireworks and enjoying the sun. It’s also a great day for a writing prompt!

Writing Prompt: Take Your Characters on Vacation

by Sue Weems | 1 Comment

While many novels and stories are set in a vacation location, you can take your character on vacation just to see what they are made of. Vacation can be frightfully stressful and reveals much about us as people. It can do the same for your character. Try it out with this writing prompt.

How to Overcome Doubt and Find Your Calling as a Writer

by David Safford | 1 Comment

Do you ever want to give up on writing? The impulse to quit can strike at any moment. In the beginning, when you’re trying to start writing but can’t. In the middle, when a story just won’t do what you tell it to. Or even at the end, when you’ve written something amazing but can’t find anyone to share it with.

Writing isn’t just artistically difficult. It’s spiritually challenging.

But you have to overcome the temptation to quit. You have to believe that each failure will pass and lead to success.

And most importantly, you have to believe that you write stories not because of some accident or mistake in the cosmic order of things. You write because you were meant to write.

You are fulfilling a calling.

How to Read Like a Writer and Boost Your Writing Skills

by Joslyn Chase | 0 Comments

If you’ve made it your mission to write, it’s probably because you love reading. Your life has been touched and changed by books you’ve read and stories you’ve heard since you were a tot, and now you want to create that experience for others. The irony is that once you start writing, it’s often difficult to find time for reading, and that’s just wrong on so many levels.

Planning a Story: 3 Questions to Answer Even if You Hate to Plan

by David Safford | 0 Comments

It’s difficult to know how much to plan when starting a new story. Is it essential to have each and every character, scene, and key change in mind beforehand? How much, or how little, do you need? (Hint: it’s less than you might think!)

The bad news is, no matter how much you plan, your first draft is destined to be messy. But even if you’re a pantser, there are a few key questions you should answer before you start. When you do, you’ll be building your story on a rock-solid foundation that will give you the freedom to take risks that won’t cost you a ton of time and energy in the long run.

Starting a Children’s Book: How to Beat Writer’s Block and Begin

by Marianne Richmond | 0 Comments

An experienced author responds to aspiring children’s book writers’ questions about writer’s block and how to find the confidence to start their own story.

Two Steps to Fix Flat Characters Using Voice and Personality

by J. D. Edwin | 1 Comment

You have created a character. You’ve named them and given them a colorful past, as well as lots of fun personality traits. Your character steps into your story . . . and suddenly you find that they’ve fallen flat. How can you fix them?

They’re boring. Those personality traits you meticulously picked out for them just aren’t showing up. Your character goes through the motions of the story and you wonder why this interesting, unique character you’ve worked so hard on is missing that luster you imagined.

Not to worry: there’s a simple, two-step fix to give your characters voice and personality.

Here to learn? You’re in the WRITE place!